Skin calipers, also known as skinfold calipers or adipometers, are medical devices used to measure the thickness of a fold of skin and subcutaneous fat tissue. This measurement can be used to estimate the amount of body fat a person has.
Skin calipers work by pinching a fold of skin and fat tissue, and measuring the thickness of that fold with the caliper. The measurement is typically taken at several different sites on the body, such as the triceps, biceps, subscapular, and suprailiac regions. The thickness of each skinfold is added together, and then used to calculate an estimate of a person’s body fat percentage.
Skin calipers are often used in research studies, athletic training programs, and medical settings to monitor changes in body composition. They are a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to more expensive and complex body composition measurement methods, such as dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or hydrostatic weighing.
However, it is important to note that skin caliper measurements may not be as accurate as other methods, as the measurement is affected by factors such as the amount of pressure applied with the caliper, the skill of the person performing the measurement, and variations in the thickness and elasticity of the skin and subcutaneous tissue.
In summary, skin calipers are a medical device used to measure the thickness of a fold of skin and subcutaneous fat tissue to estimate a person’s body fat percentage. They are a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to more expensive body composition measurement methods, but their accuracy may be affected by several factors.
